6 Natural Remedies That Actually Work!

Looking for a more natural approach to cure what ails you? You're in good company. According to a recent National Institutes of Health survey, Americans spent $14.8 billion on alternative health products in 2006. We weeded through the so-called natural remedies that don't work to bring you the research-tested and health-expert-approved home remedies that do.

Natural remedy: peppermint for an upset stomach

Next time you have an upset stomach, consider taking a capsule of peppermint oil or brewing a cup of peppermint tea—both are believed to control heartburn, nausea, indigestion and intestinal upsets. "Peppermint contains menthol and other oils that relax the smooth muscle of the digestive tract," says Sue DeCotiis, M.D., an attending physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

If you don't have any of the above, grab a piece of peppermint gum—while not as potent, it can help too.